Apparatus for partially eliminating marks in festooned sheet materials

ABSTRACT

A device for eliminating marks in materials which are made in continuous lengths, such as paper which, during their manufacturing processes are suspended in loops from carriers travelling on a conveyor. The device includes a transporting mechanism comprising friction faced endless transporter belts operable independently of the conveyor which is arranged to temporarily lift the carriers from the conveyor into contact with a pressure-applying plate member positioned to exert pressure on the carriers. This pressure causes the carriers to rotate the material relative thereto so that folds or creases are prevented.

* Q United States Patent 1 1 3,567,094

[72] inventor Tomas Murath [56] References Cited Krah n k l, Hannover, Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS [2 rm N9 698,770 1,518,580 12/1924 Harris....,..., 34/157x [221 Wed Jan-1811968 2,290,053 7/1942 l-lurxthal 34/157 [451 "3" 1971 2,109,301 2/1938 Nakane 226/107X 1 Asslznee P91111819 schlffll'gel-und 2,534,054 12/1950 Parkes 226/105X Mmhimfabnke" 3,158,306 11/1964 Fleissner 226/105 Hannover-Hainholz, Germany D [32] p i i y Man 15 19 7 Primary Examiner-S. Leon Bashore 33 1 Germany Assistant Examiner-Alfred DAndrea, Jr. 31 v33255 Attorney-Smith, Michael, Bradford] and Gardiner ABSTRACT: A device for eliminating marks in materials APPARATUS FOR PARTIALLY ELIMINATING are made in cont nuous lengths, such as paper which, g their manufacturing processes are suspended in loops MARFSIN yEsToosEn SHEET MATERIALS from carriers travelling on a conveyor. The device includes a 1 Drawn! transporting mechanism comprising friction faced endless [52] 11.8. CI. 226/105, transporter belts operable independently of the conveyor 34/157, 162/205, 162/271 which is arranged to temporarily lift the carriers from the con- [51] Int.Cl B65h 23/34 veyor into contact with a pressure-applying plate member [50] ,Field of Search 162/ 197, positioned to exert pressure on the carriers. This pressure 226/(Inquired), 104-107; 51/359 causes the carriers to rotate the material relative thereto so 1 that folds or creases are prevented.

APPARATUS FOR PARTIALLY ELIMINATING MARKS IN FESTOONED SHEET MATERIALS The invention relates to a device for at least partially eliminating carrier marks inmaterials made in continuous lengths, especially abrasive papers, wallpapers and the like, which are suspended in loops from a series of carriers travelling on a conveyor, for example a chain conveyor.

As is well known, when runs of material such as abrasive papers and the like are conveyed while looped over rods or other carriers, pressure marks are formed by virtue of the selfweight of the material in the vicinity of the lines of contact with the rods or other carriers necessarily used for conveyance. It is usual to pass abrasive papers, abrasive bodies and the like through drying or hardening plant. In the course of this, the coated backing is deprived of its state of stable equilibrium by the absorbed solvent and in its semirelaxed state is conveyed through the drying plant in the form of loops on rods or other carriers.

The formation of such carrier marks in the abrasive paper or the like results in lack of homogeneity, besides which the paper tends to crease on the winding machines, which is undesirable.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for at least partially eliminating marks in materials made in continuous lengths which materials are suspended in loops from carriers travelling on a conveyor, said device comprising at least one transporting mechanism operable independently of the conveyor, and arranged to carry the carriers to a pressure member capable of exerting pressure on the said carriers, so that, under the action of the transporting mechanism and the pressure member, the carriers, while moving forward, execute rotary motion and hence also move in relation to the run of material in contact with them.

An embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the device; and

FIG. 2 is a plan of the device of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a conventional rod aligner 1, serves to ensure accurate positioning of individual material supporting rods 2, so that these lie at right angles to the longitudinal centerline of a chain conveyor 3.

It is an advantage to employ rods 2 with flattened ends 2a. The material being conveyed, for example, a run of abrasive paper 4, is suspended from these rods 2 in large loops.

The abrasive paper 4, is taken through drying or hardening plant (not shown) by the conveyor 3. Owing to the tensile forces exerted by the self-weight loops on those parts of the paper 4 which are in contact with the various rods 2, carrier marks 4a, which are undesirable for a number of reasons, are formed in the paper 4.

These carrier marks 4a can be reduced to within tolerable limits by a device in accordance with the invention. This device comprises at least one transporting mechanism, independent of the conveyor chains, which takes each of the rods 2 in turn to a member which exerts pressure on them. In the example illustrated in the drawings, the transporting mechanism consists of two parallel endless transporter belts 5, which have friction facings, each belt running round two rollers, 6 and 7 or 8 and 9. The pressure member may take the form of a pressure plate 10, acted on by compression springs 11. Pressure rollers or other means can also be used for this purpose.

The pressure plate 10 is spaced away from the endless friction-faced transporter belts 5 by a distance less than or equal to the diameter of the rods 2.

The two friction-faced endless transporter belts 5 are preceded by a mechanism, independent of the conveyor chains, which mechanism increases the spacing b between the rods 2 to the spacing c. In the practical example illustrated in the drawings, this mechanism for increasing the spacing b between adjacent rods 2 incorporates transporter chains 12,

which run round suitable sprocket wheels 13 and 14 or 15 and 16. Further sprocket wheels, 17, 1'8 and 19, responsible for providing the requisite increase in the spacing b between the rods 2, are also provided.

The mode of operation of the device in accordance with the invention is as follows:

The carriers or rods 2, loaded with the run of abrasive paper 4, rest on the conveyor 3 and are moved by it in the direction of the arrows thereon. The carriers are raised by means of the transporter chains 12 until they no longer touch the conveyor 3. The transporting speed of the transporter chains 12 is increased with respect to that of the conveyor 3 with the aid of any desired gearing, this action being effected by the parts 17 to 19. This results in the spacing 11 between adjacent rods 2 being increased.

The rod 2 concerned is deposited at a point A on to the friction-faced transporter belts 5 and moved at substantially the same speed to a point B. The transporter chains 12, which move at constant speed in relation to the conveyor 3, and the stationary pressure plate 10 act in conjunction with each other to cause the rod 2, lying between them and moving forward in the direction of the conveyor, to rotate counterclockwise. Relative motion is thus provided between this rod 2 and that part of the run of paper 4 in contact with it, so that no carrier marks 4a occur within a particular portion of the run of paper 4.

At a point C, the rod is transferred once more to the conveyor 3. Because of the friction between the rod 2 and the run of abrasive paper 4, the paper 4 resting on the rod 2 is displaced by the distance d. By the provision of a succession of several devices such as herein proposed, this process can be repeated as often as desired, until the carrier marks 4a almost entirely disappear.

The scope of the invention includes the possibility of providing some additional means, such as pressure rollers or the like, whereby the friction between the rods 2 and the run of abrasive paper 4 may be increased.

The device herein before described enables rod or carrier marks to be reduced to within tolerable limits. The more transporter mechanisms are incorporated into the conveyor, along with their pressure plates, the fewer are the rod marks occurring per yard run of the abrasive paper or other material.

In the course of the rotary movement of the rods, the normal spacing between these is reduced to one-third. To offset this reduction in the rod spacing, a mechanism for increasing the spacing between adjacent rods may be provided. Moreover, because of the rotary motion of successive carriers or rods, the width of the loop must be fairly large, to ensure that the goods will run so as to follow this movement.

lclaim:

l. A device for at least partially eliminating marks in materials made in continuous lengths which materials are suspended in loops from carrier means travelling on a conveyor, said device comprising:

at least one transporting mechanism operable independently of the conveyor and arranged to temporarily lift the carrier means free from the conveyor; pressure-applying plate means disposed above the path of the carrier means to exert pressure on said carrier means for rotating said carrier means which are brought into proximity therewith by said transporting mechanism; and whereby under the action of the transporting mechanism and the pressure-applying means, the carrier means while moving forward, are caused to execute rotary motion in a sense to move the length of material rearwardly and hence also move in relation to the length of material in contact with them. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transporting mechanism incorporates:

two parallel endless transporter belts;

friction faces on each said belt;

a plurality of rollers; and

each said belt running around two said rollers.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure-applying plate means comprises:

a pressure plate;

compression springs acting on said pressure plate; and

the spacing between the friction-faced transporter belts and the pressure plate being at most equal to the cross-sec tional dimension of the carrier means. 

1. A device for at least partially eliminating marks in materials made in continuous lengths which materials are suspended in loops from carrier means travelling on a conveyor, said device comprising: at least one transporting mechanism operable independently of the conveyor and arranged to temporarily lift the carrier means free from the conveyor; pressure-applying plate means disposed above the path of the carrier means to exert pressure on said carrier means for rotating said carrier means which are brought into proximity therewith by said transporting mechanism; and whereby under the action of the transporting mechanism and the pressure-applying means, the carrier means while moving forward, are caused to execute rotary motion in a sense to move the length of material rearwardly and hence also move in relation to the length of material in contact with them.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transporting mechanism incorporates: two parallel endless transporter belts; friction faces on each said belt; a plurality of rollers; and each said belt running around two said rollers.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure-applying plate means comprises: a pressure plate; compression springs acting on said pressure plate; and the spacing between the friction-faced transporter belts and the pressure plate being at most equal to the cross-sectional dimension of the carrier means.
 4. A device according to claim 2, comprising a mechanism independent of the conveyor and arranged to enlarge the spacing between adjacent rods or other carriers, said mechanism being positioned in the direction of travel of the material, before the transporter belts. 